The Palestine Exchange (PEX) to Celebrate Family Businesses at its 5th Annual Palestinian Capital Market Forum on Monday, 21 November 2011

RAMALLAH, Palestine, November 20, 2011 -

- Under the auspices and presence of Prime Minister Dr. Salam Fayyad, the Forum intends to highlight future strategies for family-owned businesses

The 5^th Annual Palestinian Capital Market Forum (www.pex.ps/forum) will take place in Ramallah, Palestine on Monday, 21 November 2011. The event will serve as a platform for industry leaders, and family businesses to join forces to conceptualize blueprints for the development of family-run companies - consideration will also be made as to the potential of those companies to transform into public shareholding companies and be listed on the exchange.

This year’s theme blends support for family enterprises while encouraging them to enter the public market. Transition into public shareholding companies is considered critical to Palestine’s economic vitality, especially with regard to family businesses, small- and medium-sized enterprises together constitute 94% of the Palestinian private sector and employ more than 80% of the workforce. The PEX believes that the sustainability, diversity, perseverance, and potential that characterize family-owned businesses in particular make incorporating this segment into the Exchange a high priority.

Mr. Ahmad Aweidah, Chief Executive Officer of PEX, asserted that, “In order to build a vibrant, prosperous economy, it is necessary for all of the various economic players to support one another’s endeavors and to develop a coherent, consensus-based strategy for Palestine’s economic future.”  

At the forum, an array of local, regional and international experts will mobilize in an effort to address topics such as generational transitions of family-owned businesses, the status of and challenges facing family business in Palestine, regional case studies of family businesses shifting to public shareholding companies, as well as the specifics associated with the initial public offering (IPO) road map and stock valuation during IPOs.

The PEX is honored to host an impressive lineup of guest speakers, including Mr. Samih Darwazah, Chairman of Hikma Pharmaceuticals in Jordan; Mr. Neil Janin, Director Emeritus of McKinsey & Company Inc. in France; Ms. Samar Obaid, Partner at Earnst & Young in Jordan; Ms. Hiba Husseini, Managing Partner of Husseini and Husseini Attorneys & Counselors at Law in Palestine; and Mr. Ziad Anabtawi, Partner and General Manager of Anabtawi Group in Palestine.

The Annual Palestinian Capital Market Forum is a major event for Palestine’s financial and capital market sector; it serves as an opportunity to meet listed companies, regulators, Palestine Exchange executives, market analysts, brokers and bankers. The Forum offers an environment conducive to sharing local and global business experiences, and to the development of this vital sector - thus contributing to the development of the Palestinian national economy.

For more information contact:
Ms. Fida’ Musleh/Azar
Manager of Public Relations & Investor Education
Tel: +970(or 972)-9-2390999
Mobile: +970 (or 972)-599-828-608
Email: fida.azar@pex.ps, www.pex.ps

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